Untitled for now
by rain0205
Summary: SEQUEL TO SOLEANNA, Remy and Rogue build up on their new found relationship, while the X-men are once again visited by their favourite unexpected guess. Who blew it this time?
1. Prologue

welcome to another one of my x-men stories. as per usual, i have not thought of a title, hard to follow after "_Soleanna_", and i don't really know how or where i'm going with this. in truth, the way i ended soleanna is not how i always thought i would, i always thought of it ending a different way. but the votes were in and only one person didn't want a sequel. i admit, i never intended on making a sequel, but my brain wouldn't stop once it had the idea. perhaps it will end here, i won't know until i get further into this. now, without much further ado, i present the next chapter in Soleanna, and hope that if anyone has a good idea, can help me with a title

...

The sky was bright blue, the clouds puffy and white. The grass was greener than she had ever seen it before in her life. Bare footed, she padded across the meadow, towards a solid shape in the distance. She wasn't in a hurry, she had all the time in the world. The breeze was light, moving the lake she was coming across. Her blue flowing dress was silky and whispered around her body with every step. She walked into the lake, letting the water flow on her ankles. Her strawberry blond hair was down, which was highly unusual, and it flowed in the wind, long and soft. Her ruby and black eyes, the exact same as her fathers, were full of wonder and calm as she looked across her surroundings. She was happy here, that much she knew.

She stepped out of the lake and walked towards the shadow. A smile played on her lips as the sun warmed her exposed skin. The grass under her feet was soft, with the promise of a wonderful summer. She picked flowers as she passed them, making a colourful collection to carry with her. She came closer to the house, the view of it breathtaking. It was the exact kind of house she wanted to live in, and she would be a fool to walk away from it. The porch has chairs all around it, and she recognizes her uncle sitting there with a bored expression. There's a cigar sticking out of his mouth, and despite his disinterest, she smiles at him. She walks up to him, giving him a flower. He glares at her, but she knows better.

Her father comes out of the house and smiles at her. She hands him one and he smirks. These two men standing with her were the ones who raised her, she owed them her life many times over. Her mother then comes out, and she hands the rest of the flowers to the woman she wished she didn't hate her whole life. Even if her hate was misplaced, she knew that her life could have been better if it never existed in the first place. She sits on the other side of the table where her uncle is, and stares out into the fields.

"Dis where you been, _petite_?" her father asks.

"More or less," she answers in a light voice.

"The world used to be more fun," said her uncle.

She scoffed, "So did you."

"Now, now, don' make meh thrash ya," said her mother once her uncle had opened his mouth.

"That's more like it," said her uncle, grinning slightly.

"Ya burnt yerself, darlin'," said her mother, walking over and observing.

"I'll be fine, I need a tan anyway," she replies.

"Go an' get some'tin' t'eat, _petite_."

She smiled and left them on the porch. She went into the house, seeing all the warm memories of her past. The smile still playing on her lips, she walked up the stairs to her room. There was a boy in there, one who bore a great resemblance to herself. He was looking at her curiously, just as she mirrored his own face. She didn't feel any hostility coming from him, and his smile was something of a warm welcome.

"Soleanna..." her brother trailed.

"Lune," she acknowledged, always happy to see him.

"Where have you been this morning?"

"Just wandering. It's so nice out."

"Ororo's coming today."

"I know."

"I wish I could fly."

Sole smirked, "It's not all that exciting."

"Says you. At least I could have caught up with you today."

"Only if I wanted you to. What are you doing in here anyway?"

"Looking for my socks. Sometimes I throw them in your laundry when I know you're about to do it."

"Oh thanks," she said dryly.

"It's just socks. I think they might have fallen out of the dryer, I'll go check it out," he left the room after that.

Sole sighed as she sat down in front of her wide open window. Her room wasn't nearly as big as when she lived at the mansion, but at least it was in her own home with her family. It was the kind of life anyone would have wanted. But her family wasn't exactly as she remembered. Soleanna Marie LeBeau had completely different memories than the rest of her family. Two years ago, she had travelled into the past, joined the X-men and saved her old future, turning it into this one. She had the same memories as them, but all the ones from before. Her parents were aware of this, but not her brother. Before she had gone back to change things, her world was bleak and chaotic. She lived in labs, underground, with her father and uncle. A mutant named Forge ran the place, and he sent her back in order to change things. Her brother, Lune, also went back, blindly leading her to the path of victory. In the process, he had died, and she was mortified, until she understood his actions completely.

Sole was happy two years ago when she came back to her world and had seen her brother was still there. Her parents, of course, remembered everything she had been through with them in the past, but not the horrors of her other future. She had also went in search of her lost lover, Maddock, only to find that without the chaotic events of her future, he settled down with another. Sole was heart broken, but only because she remembered the time she shared with him. However, she was happy that he was safe and away from harm. With her crazy family, there was no way to ensure his safety, much less her own.

The rain cloud headed her way made her think about how depressing life could be. But to be perfectly honest, her normal life was incredibly boring, she agreed with her uncle. She knew that this sort of world was something she couldn't force herself into. The rain cloud was brining lightning with it, at least that would be more entertaining. Sole was always fond of storms, they were completely unpredictable. She heard her parents coming in from the porch, but then leave again right after. Must be refilling drinks. Her room was right about the porch, and as the wind blew, it brought with it an ominous feeling. She narrowed her eyes slightly, flying out the window and down to the porch.

"What is that?" asked Rogue.

"It don't smell good," growled Logan.

"Doesn't feel good either," said Sole.

"Shouldn't we go inside? asked Lune.

The wind was picking up, as the cloud got closer. Sole could feel something not quite right inside of it. This feeling was intriguing, as well as terrifying. Sure, she was bored with the way her future was, but that didn't mean she wanted anything else to go wrong. Hail started to fall as the wind whipped at them. Sole knew that it wasn't Ororo causing this, but she also knew that this was unnatural. The black cloud was completely above them now, the flashes of lightning getting too bright to look anymore. She couldn't hear anything, and she desperately looked for her family, despite the fog being so thick. She was not going to be taken down by a stupid cloud.

...

and there is the first chapter. hope y'all like it!


	2. Earthquake

and the next one.. still unsure about a title, so any ideas, leave it in a review

...

Sunset had come on an almost perfect and ordinary day. It was cloudy, but had a warm summer breeze with the promise of better weather tomorrow. The Xavier mansion was mostly asleep, aside from a few night dwellers. Remy sat out in this cool night, a smoke in his mouth and a good view on the horizon. The oranges, pinks and purples reminded him of the good fortune he's had over the passed couple of years. Rogue was somewhere around the mansion, and in two years, their relationship had been utter bliss. He couldn't believe that he was so lucky, and that it had continued to last. As he knew his future self did, he was compiling notes and placing them in a silver box he always had on him.

Life hadn't changed much in general, but for him, it was a whole new adventure with Rogue. Their relationship was finally functioning normally, which meant that most of the walls had fallen down since two years ago. Perhaps it was because their daughter that had shown up from the future, perhaps it was because the two of them finally deserved a chance. Whatever it was, he was not going to question it, he was going to enjoy it, and do everything right. He was going to make sure his family was taken care of, whenever they arrived. He wasn't in any hurry, neither were they.. It was clear two years ago that they had all the time in the world to enjoy their lives.

"Knew Ah'd find ya here," said Rogue from behind him. He smiled.

"Enjoyin' de night, _chere_," he replied, turning to face her.

"Can' rememba tha last time ya watched a sunset."

"_Non_, de sky call Gambit dis time."

"It is quite lovely."

"_Oui,_" he replied, putting an arm around her and pulling her close, "Even better wit' you here, _chere_."

Rogue blushed, "Ah was jus' wonderin' what y'were up to."

"Enjoyin' de night off."

"Ya were gone on that last mission a long time..."

"_Desole, chere_, next time Gambit try t'be quick."

"Ah miss goin' out an' doin' the fun work."

He chuckled, "Not fun anymore.'

"It's worth stayin' here an' doin' what Ah know Ah can. Some days, Ah jus' can' help an' get restless."

"Don't see why, ain't nothin' out there anymore," said Logan, interrupting them.

"Where've ya been?!" exclaimed Rogue.

"Hunting adventure. World's mostly dry."

"Das de way it should be," said Remy.

"For you maybe. I ain't exactly the settling down type. There's a few promises here and there, but nothing solid enough to bother with."

"Maybe it time for a good vacation."

"Two years ain't enough?"

"_Mon ami_, dere never enough time t'rest."

"Easy for you to say. There was something strange that caught my eye a few miles West."

"Sounds like fun!" said Rogue, a sparkle in her eye Remy hadn't seen in a long time.

Remy nodded, "First t'ing in de mornin' we leave."

"Good, I'm gettin' a little sick of sititn' around here."

...

They left first thing in the morning. Remy and Rogue took her car, Logan took his bike. It was a bright and shiny day, Remy just enjoying his time with Logan in the lead. They were headed West, Logan having a hunch about something weird he encountered over there. Of course, he didn't go into much detail about it, only because he had no idea what was out there. But Remy wasn't worried, which was why he let Rogue come with them.

That seemed to be their only conflict. Now that Rogue had none of her mutant powers, many missions were too dangerous for her to go on. She could still fight, but not against other mutants. The most she ever got to do was put down non mutant threats here and there. Rogue was a fighter, and it put a lot of strain on her anger be practically useless during a time when people were stupid. It was one of the few things he loved about her, also her control seeing the bigger picture. She wanted the family she saw in her future, only put together, and she knew that this was the only way to get it. To her, it was worth it in the end, and the only way she was able to handle it.

And so on this seemingly harmless mission, they were out driving. It was a good way to get out of the house, and satisfy her need to feel normal again. Rogue could have easily done without her original power, but why the others were turned off could not be answered. Either way, it was a good time in their lives to finally have a real chance, and neither of them would give it up for any reason.

Their journey was about two days long, they stopped and ate or rested when needed. Once they had reached the city that Logan was talking about, they found a nice place to stay, and planned on getting an early start in the morning. Rogue seemed to be almost back to her normal self, and Remy was happy to see it. Logan seemed happy to finally get here, and Remy knew that he was just waiting for his first opportunity to go hunting.

He sat in his room with Rogue, as she laid on the bed, the news on in the background. It seemed that ever since two years ago, she was always scanning the news, trying to make sure that her chance to live her life wasn't jeopardized. Remy got into bed as well, placing an arm around her and pulling her close. He grabbed the controller from her hand and changed it to something more happy and less dread.

"Ah was watchin' that!" she said, going to grab the remote from him.

"_Chere_, y'always watch de news. Try somet'in' a lil happier, _non?" _He smiled widely at her.

"Ah was tryin' ta get more info on tha earthquake that hit here a few days ago."

"Earthquake? You sure?"

"Yeah!"

Remy turned the channel back, hoping to catch more of what was going on. He saw it there, an earthquake which caused a cave in at the mines. And earthquake in this area was unheard of, but of course, they were suspecting mutant activity. Remy knew that this was the type of thing Logan would be interested in. But if there were mutants, he didn't want Rogue going and risk her getting hurt.

"Ah already know what yer thinkin', but Ah'm goin', sugah," said Rogue, looking up at him.

Remy sighed, knowing it would be a futile argument. If there was major trouble, he could always stall and give her a chance to get away. He had a bad feeling about this, and usually hated it when Logan was right. But alas, what choice did he have now? So much for a vacation, work always seemed to find him. He kissed the top of Rogue's head, seeing as she was going to stay up anyway, and rolled over, going to sleep as soon as his mind would let him.

...

Remy and Rogue met up with Logan the next morning for breakfast. The earthquake was still fresh in everyone's mind, and people were still talking about it. Luckily, none of the miners were hurt, but that still didn't explain this freak accident other than mutants. Logan kept an eye on all the people in the diner while drinking his coffee. Remy just played with his food, the only one seeming to have a good time was Rogue. She was dressed for warmth, seeing as the seasons were changing and it was getting colder.

"I take it we're going to the mine?" asked Logan.

"Dat seem t'be where de party is," replied Remy.

"Is it mutants?" asked Rogue.

"Not that I can tell," answered Logan.

"So, it really an earthquake," said Remy.

"Yeah. Completely unnatural. Better keep your guard up."

"Always, sugah," Rogue smiled.

They left after that, driving in the car to the mine. It was quite away out of town, and taped off to the public. They ignored it, however, walking passed and going to assess the damage. Every entrance was completely caved in, but Rogue had a strange feeling here. Logan walked up the one of the openings and knocked on it with his fist. He held is ear up to it, and then smelled at it. He looked to Remy, moving away and nodding. Remy looked around to make sure that they were the only ones there, and then he charged up one of his cards, throwing it at the rocks. It made a small explosion, which opened up a way for them to get in.

"It ain't mutants, but there's definitely something in there," said Logan, leading the way.

The other two followed, Rogue pulling out a flash light that she had brought from the car. Logan was in the lead and Remy brought up the rear. Some of the passages were caved in, so they simply had to find different routes. The tunnels seemed endless, but Logan was following some sort of trail. None of them spoke, just kept a close eye on what was around them. Remy wasn't even sure what the people around here were mining in the first place, but they had travelled quite far, and could still go on longer.

The twists and turns carried on for what seemed like hours. Logan was determined, and Remy wondered what it was he was looking for. He was sure that Logan would have mentioned something if he knew, he rarely forgot a scent. But obviously there was something different about what he could smell here. Remy kept his guard up. The mine might be abandoned, but he had a bad feeling about this place, and he wasn't quite sure that they should be in here at all.

"It's up here," said Logan.

"What is?" asked Rogue.

"Whatever it is that caused this earthquake."

"Gambit t'ink it better if we jus' leave it," said Remy.

"I don't think so, Gumbo. I can't put a face to this scent, but I know I've smelled it before."

"Do ya know if it really was a mutant?" asked Rogue.

"Like I said, can't put a face to it. It's under this rubble."

"Better start diggin'," sighed Remy.

And so they began. The pile was quite large, but Remy and Logan were able to work fast. Rogue held the flashlight, wishing she had her powers. Her super strength would have all of this cleared by the time they had stopped their conversation, but at least she was still able to help in some way. How would these boys hold a light if she wasn't there? She sighed slightly, watching as the pile slowly became more manageable. She gasped when she saw a hand sticking out of the pile.

"There's someone there!" she shouted, dropping her flashlight and running to start moving as many rocks as she could.

Even though she couldn't life the heavy ones, they were starting to clear the rubble a lot faster. So far, they could tell it was a teenage girl stuck under the rubble. As more of the rocks were cleared, the more desperate Rogue got, That was, until she stared in horror at the barely breathing source of all the disturbance.

"_Merde_..." trailed Remy.

"What in the world..." said Rogue quietly.

"I don't believe it..." Logan finished, his eyes wide.

...

love you!


	3. Unexpected Guest

The rubble was cleared, the source of the earthquake revealing a barely breathing body. It turned out it was a mutant after all, a young girl. She had long strawberry blond hair, though it was hard to tell in the dark.

"_Merde_..." trailed Remy.

"What in the world..." said Rogue quietly.

"I don't believe it..." Logan finished, his eyes wide.

"Sole!" cried Rogue, finally breaking and running to her daughter. Rogue shook her a little, trying get her conscious, "She's cold," she looked at Remy.

He walked up, trying to keep calm even though fear had gripped his heart. Rogue moved, looking at him expectantly, like he was supposed to breathe life into her somehow. He felt a weak pulse, his ears straining to hear that tiny ragged breath. If the earthquake was two days ago, that's how long she had been trapped under here with all of this rubble crushing her. What happened? He wished he knew. He had to get her out of here, it was the only chance to save her. He moved her slowly, picking her up and standing, Rogue fretting with each movement. Remy did his best to keep his cool, but was having trouble while looking at his daughter.

"Let's go, there's nothing we can do for her here," said Logan, looking angry.

Remy nodded, following him back the way they came. Rogue was on his heels, and he could feel her heart pounding in her chest. There was no way to tell how long it would take to get out. The journey certainly felt much longer than getting in and finding her. If he had known that she was there in the first place, but there was no warning, not like last time. He wasn't even sure how she got here, nor what that could mean. Did they fail to save her future? But surely she would have made it here safely if she was sent back. Something went horribly wrong, and he was going to figure it out. He promised two years ago when he met her that he wouldn't let any of his family down again.

Logan drove the car back, practically speeding the whole way. They couldn't take her to a hospital, couldn't risk one of her powers coming to surface. Remy and Rogue were careful not to touch her skin. She was pale, and for all they know, could be dying. Rogue was trying not to cry, while Logan drove as fast as he could back to their hotel to contact the mansion and gather their things. He was quick, though it seemed like an eternity to Rogue.

"Storm's goin' to meet us a few miles South of here. I told 'er to hurry," said Logan, starting up the car and taking off before anyone had a chance to say anything.

Luckily, they weren't too far away from the mansion, it would only take a few hours for the Blackbird to find them. But as every minute passed by it felt like hours, and hours feeling like days. Rogue never wanted to experience something like this ever again. Remy tried not to think about whether or not his daughter would make it, just kept in his mind that everything would be fine once they got to the mansion.

"What d'ya think happened to her?" asked Rogue once they hit the rendevous point.

"Don' know, _chere_," answered Remy.

"She'll make it..." Rogue trailed, more to reassure herself than anything.

"'Course she will."

They heard the Blackbird minutes later. Logan grunted, driving the car into the plane once the ramp was lowered. Remy took Soleanna to the infirmary the minute he could, Rogue still close behind him. He looked relieved to see Hank and Jean standing there. Once they saw the mutant in his arms they shared a look, before ushering him inside.

"What happened?" asked Jean.

"My only guess is she came back here and had the mine collapse on her. She's been there at least two days," answered Logan, coming in to check on her.

"Why is she back here anyway?" asked Rogue.

"Dat be one t'ing we find out once she wake up," said Remy.

"Her vitals are weak, but I'm sure we can get her back on her feet," said Hank confidently.

"If she's invulnerable, how did this happen in the first place?" asked Logan.

"I can't be sure. We'll get her back to the mansion as soon as we can. I'd rather have her there before I try and connect with her mind," said Jean.

There were no more questions after that. Hank and Jean went to work while Logan left to fill Ororo in on what was going on. Remy and Rogue stayed with their daughter, trying not to get in the way of the others. Soleanna was still unconscious, barely breathing, and very pale. But Hank had said she would survive, and right now, that's all that mattered to Remy.

...

The darkness was peaceful, as if nothing could be harmed here. It was quiet, it was nice. Even the inability to see didn't bother her. She knew she couldn't make a life here, that eventually she would want to see. She hadn't felt this peaceful in ages, not since she had first gone back into the past and saved her world. She could do with a little peace like this. Her life over the two years were quiet and boring, she missed the adventure. She was restless at night because she was so used to fighting. Her father didn't understand that, because he didn't share the same memories she did. He had a different life with her, one that she knew, and yet, it wasn't the same way that she was first raised. If only her memories disappeared to, she'd probably be happy where she was.

She could hear beeping starting to interrupt her peaceful slumber. It was faint at first, but it only grew louder. It was rhythmic, steady like a drum. But as it got even louder, it became rather annoying. It sounded like a heart monitor. But why would she be connected to one of those? Was she dying? That was a stupid question. If she was dying then she wouldn't be able to hear her own heartbeat. And as the monitor got even louder, she could see some faint light ahead of her, and hear voices. What was going on? Now would be a good time to see. She opened her eyes slowly, seeing as the light was extremely bright.

"Sole!" she heard her mother shout, and then was roughly pulled into a hug.

Soleanna blinked a couple times, trying to figure out where she was. She knew that her parents wouldn't take her to a regular hospital, which could only mean that she was at the mansion's infirmary, the only place they would trust with her. Sole was happy her mother didn't have her super strength, or she probably wouldn't have a head right about now. That didn't, however, stop her from being suffocated. Rogue let go once Sole started to struggle.

"What happened? Are ya alright?" the words flooded from her mouth.

"I'm fine, what's going on?" asked Sole.

"We were hoping that you could tell us that," said Jean.

"What?"

"Why you come back, _petite_? Trouble?" asked Remy.

Sole looked at her father. His concerned face struck something in her memory. It was the last thing she saw before the darkness, before she woke up here. At least she knew that she had made it back. The journey wasn't nearly as smooth as the first time, she was pretty sure she crashed and burned badly. That would also explain why she was in the infirmary and why Rogue freaked out when she woke up.

"It's a long story," she sighed, "Can we talk about it later? I just need a moment to collect my thoughts."

"I imagine being under a cave-in for two days would disorient the mind," said Hank brightly.

"You sounding excited about that freaks me out," she smiled. She fell back in her bed then, her eyes drooping, "I'm tired."

"Get some sleep, sugah," said Rogue who felt a million times better knowing her daughter was okay.

Sole was already out, and Rogue smiled sadly. She got up from her seat and left after that, looking back at Remy. He caught her eye and nodded, getting up to follow her. His daughter would be fine for now, the fear leaving him. It was the middle of the night anyway, there was no need to stay up now that they knew Sole wasn't going into a coma. He took Rogue's hand as they walked to their room, a slight bounce in his step. Now that he knew she was okay, he was actually very happy to see her. He missed her over the two years that she had been gone, and it was a real shock that she had shown up again. He wasn't going to think about why she was back, he wanted to enjoy this moment.

Once the door was closed to the bedroom, he stood there, watching Rogue as she got ready for bed. He was mesmerized by his movements, unable to take them off her. What would have happened if they lost Sole? He didn't want to think about it. He wanted to protect her, his family. He walked up to Rogue, taking her into his arms. She didn't question his movements, merely melded herself into him. He kissed her then, pulling her as close as possible. She seemed to catch his meaning, and they slowly made their way to their bed.

...

Soleanna woke up this time to Logan and Hank. She apparently was only sleeping for a few hours, and it was early in the morning. Logan looked serious, but Sole's eyes were barely open. They didn't want to open, but her mind was active. She was happy to see her uncle there though.

"What took you to long?" she croaked, not realizing how thirsty she was. Hank was nice enough to give her a glass of cold water. She smiled in thanks.

"You been out two days under rubble and another one here," replied Logan.

"You don't get it, what took you so long to find me? Getting old?"

Logan grunted, smiling slightly, "You doin' alright kid?"

"As okay as I can be."

"I thought you were invulnerable?"

"I wasn't doing all the good on my way back here. I figure I was probably too weak to have my powers work in the first place. Invulnerability can be beaten if you remember."

"What happened?"

"A lot."

"You're not telling?"

"Not yet. I'm too tired."

"Once her body is stronger, she'll be able to retain her mutant powers and heal faster," explained Hank.

"So she lost her powers?" asked Logan.

"Not exactly. They're still there, just very weak like she is."

"Who attacked you?" Logan asked the girl, but she had already fallen asleep. He turned instead back to Hank, "What could have happened?"

"Any number of things. The last time she had come, her brother was able to defeat her quite easily no matter which power she used. But the fact that she has all the same memories shows that she is the same Soleanna that came to us two years ago."

"So... something else happened and now she's back."

"That can be the only explanation. We'll know more once she's ready to talk."

"It better be soon, or someone is going to die very slowly."


	4. Explanation

Soleanna woke up with a start in a cold sweat. She had shot up from her bed, noting that the lights were dim. She was breathing heavily before she realized that she was still in the Xavier mansion's infirmary. So it wasn't a dream, she really had made it back. She looked down at her hands, seeing that she wasn't in any pain. Her head didn't feel groggy like when she had thought she had dreamed waking up here. She then noticed that she was floating in the air. She must have launched herself into the air when she woke up. That was a good sign, her powers were working. She jumped a bit when a light was turned on.

"Well this certainly is a good sign," said Jean smiling.

"Oh?" questioned Sole, lowering herself back on her bed.

Jean nodded, walking towards her with her clipboard, "You seem surprised to be here."

"I just thought it was a dream."

"So you have no recollection of waking up at all?"

"No I do, I just thought I was dreaming that."

"Good that your memory is intact. I also see that you've gained your flight as well, would you be able to test out the rest of your powers?"

Sole nodded, speaking to Jean with her mind, bending a steel plate with ease and then charging it, as well as running to the end of the hall and back. She turned off Jean's powers for only a minute and once they were restored, demonstrated Rogue's original mutant power, taking a small sample from Jean. The last thing to test would be the invulnerability, which Jean was going to do in the danger room. The red head faithfully wrote everything down on her clipboard, however, the results to her liking. She ran a couple more tests, while Remy and Rogue walked in to see their daughter.

"How ya feelin', sugah?" asked Rogue smiling.

"Normal," she answered simply.

"I'd say. You've complete recovered from all your injuries, and all your powers are present and accounted for," said Jean brightly, "Xavier wants to see you as soon as you get a moment."

"I assumed he would. I know me being here doesn't scream happy occasion."

"Ah'm happy t'see ya!" declared Rogue.

Sole laughed slightly, taking off the little monitors that Jean and Hank had placed all over her. She ran a hand through her hair, feeling dirt still in it. She definitely needed a shower. Making sure she was covered, she took off the sheets that she was under and stood up, looking for her clothes.

"Here, _petite_," said Remy, holding out the clean dress that she arrived in.

"Thanks," she took it gently, gazing at it a moment, "Any place I can shower around here?"

"Well while ya were out, we had time t'get yer room in orda," said Rogue.

"I thought it was just a guest room?"

"It was, but ya came back," Rogue smiled.

Sole smiled back at her, following them out of the infirmary. Her mother seemed to be the happiest person in the world to see her back, same with her father. Sole was happy to see them, but it was a very confusing way to look at things. They were the same parents she had in her future, only, they didn't know how things were going to happen. They knew her better two years ago when she had first come to them. It was as if she had two sets of parents, but she loved them all just as equally. The only thing that bothered her about being here, was that she enjoyed being here better than in her own future. She only wished that she could know why.

"It jus' de same as before,_ petite_, like y'never left," said Remy.

Sole nodded, her eyes distant. It was the first time in two years that she felt home, but she didn't want them to know that. She didn't want them to think that they failed, because they didn't. It was her who had the problem. They left her alone then, Sole walking to the bathroom. She started the water, running a much needed bath. She looked at her reflection, her eyes sad. There were dirt smudges all over her face, her long strawberry hair in complete disarray. It would be a great effort just to untangle it. Her cuts and bruises had healed, but there were still some blood stains from when they existed.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she remembered what brought her here. The horrors of what happened fresh and the journey here making all that pain come back. She cried then, unable to contain it anymore, dropping to her knees. She was glad that no one was here to see her right now. But since she had made it back, at least she had a hope of fixing her mistake. How could she have been so stupid? Wiping away her sorrow, she got into the bath, the water turning her skin red instantly. She submerged herself washing away everything she could. If only the water could change the past for her, then she wouldn't be in this mess.

...

She felt clean, the sun shining, though she found it inappropriate. She had her blue dress back on, and two single flowers. Her head was down as she walked through the grounds towards the grave sites of Maddock and Lune. Her tears had dried up, but she had not been here in two years. While Lune had been in her life once she got back, he was not the same brother who sacrificed everything for her. And Maddock, the one she loved, still mourned for, he was still dead to her. It was hard to let him go, but she knew it was the right thing to do.

"I take it you never found him," stated Logan.

"I did," she replied, kneeling down to lay her flowers.

"Yet you still mourn, child," said Ororo gently.

"I suppose I do. He is different now. I went to find him about six months after I went home, but he was completely different. He never had to really fight, wasn't forced into a world he didn't belong in. As a result, he found someone else, someone who will keep him safe, that can be there for him. It's really the best I could ask for, so I left him to live his life."

They didn't say anything. Sole stared at the letters that read back to her as Maddock. She wished he was here, but she was done crying about it. He was happy, and the one who sacrificed himself for her, he was no longer struggling to live in this world. Lune ensured that his life would be better, had made it so that she couldn't feel guilty about it. Sighing, she rose to her feel, looking into the sky. She remembered the first time she ever saw it, smiling slightly.

"Despite the reasoning, it is good to see you again," said Ororo, once Sole had turned to face them. Sole embraced the woman, becoming closer to her in the last two years. Of course, this one didn't know that, but Sole didn't have any different feelings. Once Sole had collected herself, she smiled at them, putting away her sorrows.

"I've missed all of you, no matter how complicated it can be. I see you all, but it's not exactly the same as when I was here."

"Must be tough," said Logan.

"It can be. Let's go, I should probably explain myself, you've all been patient enough."

...

In two years, the mansion hadn't changed much. There were more young mutants here than she remembered, but that only made sense, seeing as their acceptance wasn't quite there yet. Some of them looked apprehensive at Sole, but she ignored them. As she stepped into Xavier's office, she became slightly scared of how she was going to do this. Scott was there, with Jean. Hank, Emma, Bobby, Kurt, Jubilee and Kitty, Remy and Rogue, Ororo and Logan walking in with her. Xavier sat at his desk with a smile on his face. Sole took a seat where she could see everyone, only wanting to tell the story once.

She let out a big breath, "Okay. I'm finally here, and no, it's not because I'm visiting, though I wish it were.

"Two years ago I went back home. Nothing really had changed from where things are now, the world was more peaceful and I was able to spend time with my brother. It was the kind of life that we all fought for while I was here in the first place. But something happened here, something to change all of that back to the way it was. No, worse than the way it was. This dark cloud appeared, and slowly moved, eating everything in its grasp. My peaceful life was no more, and I was thrown back in the world of chaos and destruction.

"But it wasn't like last time. So many more casualties, more slaves. My brother and Maddock were already dead, same with my mother. I only had my father and uncle fighting, and my father was gravely injured. Forge brought me back, but the last I saw, we were all about to die, our hideout found. I escaped just before the blast, which is probably why I was overshot. What happened?"

"There was an earthquake a few days West of here," said Scott.

"You were found two days after that. Your presence caused a cave-in, burying you underneath it," said Hank.

"That explains a lot," mused Sole.

"What has happened to cause those events?" asked Xavier.

"Project Paradise."

"I thought we torched that idea?" asked Logan.

"Yes, the whole lab was destroyed and every file," said Jean.

"But I didn't kill anybody. Because of that loose end, the idea still lived in the minds of those who were in the labs. I didn't even think about erasing them," explained Sole.

"There must have been hundreds there."

"That's no excuse for sloppy work."

"So now what? How are we supposed ta find who's doin' all this?" asked Rogue.

"I deleted everything to do with it, but our memories can pull out faces and put names to them. All I know is, someone's pulling the strings and it's not my brother this time."

"Sounds like the world's gettin' more fun again," said Logan dangerously.

"I pray that we can fix this before there are any casualties," said Xavier gravely.

"You and me both," said Sole, looking out the window, her eyes distant. She had to save her father, and the rest of her family. The image of him came to her, but she quickly sought out Remy in the room. Seeing him here made her feel better, feel as if she was safe and it was all just a bad dream. She knew better though, and she was not going to fail this mission. If she had to, she would kill every last person who ever had known her existence. That was a promise.

...

ta-da! love you!


End file.
